Dear Editor,
My name is Hilda Oltean, and I’m with Environmental Litigation Group P.C., a law firm helping victims of toxic exposure.
We want to contribute with an opinion article discussing how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD) and relevant healthcare stakeholders, should urgently consider implementing a centralized database for veterans exposed to asbestos and proactively inviting them for mesothelioma checkups to significantly improve early detection and treatment, ultimately addressing the prevalent issue of misdiagnosis.
In Ohio, between 1999 and 2017, there were 12.697 asbestos-related deaths, out of which 2.353 were mesothelioma-related and 996 asbestosis-related.
In Richland County, for instance, the estimated number of asbestos-related deaths was 165.
Today, 3.000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, 30% of this total are veterans.
This approach could leverage existing infrastructure, technological advancements, and government support to enhance veterans’ health outcomes and quality of life.
80.8% of stage 1 mesothelioma diagnoses were incorrect and later “upstaged” to a more advanced stage. 69.5% of stage 2 mesothelioma cases were misdiagnosed. 35.4% of stage 3 mesothelioma diagnoses were inaccurate. 12.8% of stage 4 mesothelioma cases were misdiagnosed and later “downstaged.”
A mesothelioma registry has the potential to play a crucial role in improving diagnostic accuracy, reducing misdiagnosis rates, and ultimately improving outcomes for individuals affected by this challenging disease.
Please let me know if this is something you’d be interested in publishing.
Best,
Hilda Oltean
Office Assistant
Environmental Litigation Group